What are America’s Most Dangerous Cities?

Is your city safe? How about your neighborhood? Just how does your “neck of the woods” compare to other parts of the country or even your state? It’s easy to find out, by looking into rankings of America’s most dangerous cities.

However, if you delve into the research, you’ll find not all the rankings are the same. The rankings we’ve included below are from Forbes.com, but Neighborhood Scout offers a list of the top 100 most dangerous cities, and ranks the top 10 quite differently. For example, Buffalo, NY is the 10th most dangerous city according to Forbes.com, but it ranks 40th on Neighborhood Scout’s list. That’s a huge difference!

Also note that if you’re doing research, you can find statistics for cities of different sizes. You can find the top 10 most dangerous large cities or small cities, something to consider if you’re assuming all small cities are safer…because they’re not necessarily. For example, Wilmington, DE has only 72,000 residents, but tops one list of most dangerous small cities with a violent crime rate of 1,703 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. That’s higher than eight of the big cities listed as most dangerous by Forbes.com!

Below we offer you one list of the most dangerous cities, but our research indicates it’s worth looking into yourself if these are stats important to you, since it does depend whom you ask. You can also find out how secure your own neighborhood is by simply inputting your address into our Crime Reports widget.

America’s 10 Most Dangerous Cities According to Forbes.com

Detroit, Michigan–Violent crime rate: 2,137 per 100,000 residents

St Louis, Missouri –Violent crime rate: 1,857 per 100,000 residents

Oakland, California–Violent crime rate: 1,683 per 100,000 residents

Memphis, Tennessee–Violent crime rate: 1,583 per 100,000 residents

Birmingham, Alabama–Violent crime rate: 1,483 per 100,000 residents

Atlanta, Georgia–Violent crime rate: 1,433 per 100,000 residents

Baltimore, Maryland–Violent crime rate: 1,417 per 100,000 residents

Stockton, California–Violent crime rate: 1,408 per 100,000 residents

Cleveland, Ohio–Violent crime rate: 1,363 per 100,000 residents

Buffalo, New York–Violent crime rate: 1,238 per 100,000 residents

Gang activity, drug trafficking and poverty rates seem to always be present where there are high crime rates. For example, number 5 on this list—Birmingham, AL—has a poverty rate of 26%, and number 10 on this list—Buffalo, NY—has a shocking poverty rate of 30%. That means you’re not only looking at rates of crime but also quality of life when you’re looking at these cities…something to consider if you’re researching cities prior to a move.

And it’s worth noting that even if you live somewhere other than in one of America’s most dangerous cities, crime still happens, both violent and property. Unfortunately, there isn’t anywhere you can live that is guaranteed to be 100% safe for you and your family. That makes home security a concern for everyone, whether you live in the most dangerous place in the U.S. or the safest part of town. That said, maybe while researching your neighborhood’s crime activity, researching a new home security system should top your list too!

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Tip: Eliminate Fall Risks

Unfortunately, about one-third of the senior population over the age of 65 falls each year, and many falls happen because of obstacles around the home. The good news, is we have some easy ways to prevent falls:

Do your best to not leave items in passageways or doorways.

Check to make sure there are no loose floorboards or carpets and secure any loose rugs with tape.

Invest in non-slip mats for the shower and bathroom.

Install handrails on staircases so there’s something to hold onto, especially in the dark.

Ensure seniors are wearing sensible shoes that are unlikely to slip.

Highlight steps and door sills with a bright color to make them unmissable.

Some obstacles can’t be moved like furniture or steps, but you can make sure they are easily seen, particularly at night. Check on the lighting around your home, to ensure that when on, the lights are bright enough but not so bright that they are blinding.

At night, ensure that there are plenty of night lights in the bedroom, bathroom, and hallway, or easy to reach lamps for those middle-of-the-night needs. Next, if there are stairs in the home, make sure there are lights close by to prevent tripping down them. Consider glow-in-the-dark light switches to prevent any stumbles when trying to find a light switch.

~ ADT

I feel so much better knowing my family is protected! I spoke with SafeStreets USA in the evening and a technician was able to come install the system for me then for my parents first thing the next morning. Very impressed with his knowledge and care!

Bob Bethany

* S99.00 Customer Installation Charge. 36-Month Monitoring Agreement required at $36.99 per month ($1,331.64). Form of payment must be by credit card or electronic charge to your checking or savings account. Offer applies to homeowners only. Local permit fees may be required. Satisfactory credit history required. Certain restrictions may apply. Offer valid for new ADT Authorized Dealer customers only and not on purchases from ADT LLC. Other rate plans available. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Smoke Detectors not available in all states. Services not available in all states. * ADT ADT Pulse Interactive Solutions Services, which help you manage your home environment and family lifestyle. requires the purchase and/or activation of an ADT alarm system with monitored burglary service and a compatible computer. cell phone or PDA with Internet and email access. These ADT ADT Pulse Interactive Solutions Services do not cover the operation or maintenance of any household equipment/systems that are connected to the ADT ADT Pulse Interactive Solutions Services/Equipment. All ADT ADT Pulse Interactive Solutions Services are not available with the various levels of ADT ADT Pulse Interactive Solutions Services. All ADT ADT Pulse Interactive Solutions Services may not be available in all geographic areas. You may be required to pay additional charges to purchase equipment required to utilize the ADT ADT Pulse Interactive Solutions Services features you desire. AL 15-993, AR E20110029. CT ELC0185208-L5. DC 602511000104. DE 11-201. FL EG13000404. GA LVA205866, IA AC-0129. IL 127001452. MD 107-1680. MI 3601206276, MN TS02343. MS 15013023. NC 624-CSA, NJ 34BF00018800, NY 12000302109. PA PA 024334, SC BAC 13455. TN 0000-1611. VA 11-6617